Updated 4:48 p.m. | Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat who is expected to announce a bid against Republican Sen. Rob PortmanWednesday, may get a clear shot at the nomination.

The only Democrat in the race until now, Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, is raking in donations from high-profile donors, announcing endorsements and putting out policy proposals. The Democrat recently told CQ Roll Call he is “running to win.”

Updated 4:45 p.m. | A special election in Mississippi’s 1st District will take place on May 12, according to The Associated Press. The winner will succeed the late Rep. Alan Nunnelee, a Republican who died on Feb. 6 after a battle with brain cancer.

Updated 10:16 a.m. | Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Calif., will officially run for an open seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, she announced Wednesday, leaving vacant her Los Angeles-based House district for the second time since 2010.

“My father, beloved County Supervisor Kenny Hahn, always stressed to me the importance of being a champion for the people. He instilled in me the values of courage, integrity, and public service — and most importantly the simple principle of always putting constituents and local neighborhoods first. With that philosophy in mind, I have decided not to run for re-election to Congress and instead enter the race for Los Angeles County Supervisor District 4,” Hahn said in a statement.

Nunnelee, 56, died on Feb. 6 after a short battle with brain cancer. Republicans will almost certainly retain his seat in a yet-to-be scheduled special election, but multiple Mississippi GOP operatives expressed concern the race could become a proxy battle between state Sen. Chris McDaniel’s tea party supporters and mainstream Republicans who supported Sen. Thad Cochran’s re-election in 2014.

Reid, left, is up for re-election in 2016. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call Photo)

Nevada Republicans worry their efforts to oust Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid in 2016 could be thwarted again by a crowded GOP primary.

In 2010, Republicans nominated one of their weakest candidates in the primary, Sharron Angle, from a large field of challengers to face Reid. In a banner year for the GOP across the country, Reid won re-election by a handful of points — and now Republicans are anxious history could repeat itself in 2016.

Ohio Democrats are expecting a crowded primary to challenge Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, in 2016, and the recent announcement by Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld may have accelerated its formation.

The 30-year-old Sittenfeld announced Thursday that he would get into the race. Democrats describe him as a charismatic and a rising star within the party, but his early announcement speaks to the fact that this local office holder has hurdles to raise his name recognition and ample cash for a federal race. And other Democratic candidates won’t let him do that for too long without any competition. Full story